Occupations/37-3012.00
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or crops. Usually requires specific training and state or federal certification.
Usually a high school diploma, plus some experience or short training.
AI automation risk
35%
More resilient
Human characteristics
61%
Balanced human and task mix
Task orientation
50%
Mixed exposure
A day in this job
- Task
Mix pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides for application to trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops.
- Task
Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
- Task
Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
These are core tasks from O*NET. The wording didn’t clearly split routine from human, so they are listed without that label.
Core tasks
- 01Mix pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides for application to trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops.
- 02Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
- 03Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
- 04Identify lawn or plant diseases to determine the appropriate course of treatment.
- 05Cover areas to specified depths with pesticides, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet sizes, elevation-to-distance ratios, and obstructions.
- 06Start motors and engage machinery, such as sprayer agitators or pumps or portable spray equipment.
Model drivers (O*NET 1–5)
- Repeating same tasks3.16
- Degree of automation1.70
- Time sitting2.53
- Originality (ability)2.38
- Conflict situations2.77
- Hands-on objects/tools4.21
- Outdoors / weather4.76
- Disease exposure1.36
- Decision freedom4.28
Top abilities
- Near Vision3.50
- Control Precision3.38
- Arm-Hand Steadiness3.38
- Speech Recognition3.25
- Problem Sensitivity3.25
- Oral Comprehension3.25
- Deductive Reasoning3.25
- Written Comprehension3.12
Essential skills
- Reading Comprehension3.00
- Active Listening3.25
- Writing2.50
- Speaking3.12
- Mathematics2.25
- Science2.00
- Critical Thinking3.12
- Active Learning2.88
- Learning Strategies2.25
- Monitoring2.88
CIP matches
Schools offering related programs
12 of 19 shown
Earnings are College Scorecard medians for that program, 1 and 2 years after completion. A dash means the Department suppressed the cell or the campus is not in the field file.
| Institution | Program | Tuition | Admit | Grad 6-yr | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $19,600 | 55% | 86% | 1 yr $47,260 2 yr $43,798 Certificate · CIP 01.06 |
University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $17,400 | 64% | 83% | 1 yr $44,356 2 yr $42,682 Associate · CIP 01.06 |
Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $13,200 | 63% | 83% | 1 yr $38,289 2 yr $41,193 Bachelor's · CIP 01.06 |
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $16,100 | 88% | 82% | 1 yr $38,289 2 yr $27,862 Certificate · CIP 01.06 |
South Dakota State University Brookings, SD · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $9,600 | 99% | 66% | 1 yr $37,568 2 yr $37,568 Bachelor's · CIP 01.06 |
North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $9,200 | 47% | 84% | 1 yr $37,424 2 yr — Associate · CIP 01.06 |
Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $12,800 | 53% | 83% | 1 yr $34,348 2 yr $31,799 Associate · CIP 01.06 |
Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, MN · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $9,800 | 71% | 61% | 1 yr $25,194 2 yr — Associate · CIP 01.06 |
Ridgewater College Willmar, MN · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $6,100 | 100% | 36% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Not reported |
Minnesota West Community and Technical College Granite Falls, MN · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $6,000 | 100% | 37% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Not reported |
Iowa State University Ames, IA · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $10,400 | 90% | 77% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Not reported |
University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND · Public | Landscaping and Groundskeeping 01.0605 | $10,800 | 83% | 66% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Bachelor's · CIP 01.06 |